Mike Mignola may be known for creating Hellboy, the charming (if surly) monster hunter of comics and movies, but this summer, he’s coming up with an all-new hero to keep the world safe from threats unlike any it’s previously seen.
Co-created with Christopher Golden, the upcoming Dark Horse Comics series Lady Baltimore spins out of the Baltimore property that began with 2007’s prose novel, Baltimore or The Steadfast Tin Soldier & The Vampire, before being adapted and expanded in a series of comic book miniseries starting in 2010. The final installment in the cycle, Baltimore: The Red Kingdom, takes place 13 years before the new series.
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The Lady Baltimore of the series’ title was formerly Sofia Valk, a girl born and raised in Estonia before war spread across Europe. She eventually became the trusted companion of Lord Henry Baltimore, a soldier determined to rid the world of monsters, and now finds that she must continue his battle long after he’s gone.
The five-issue series “is the start of something big and unexpected,” Golden, who’s collaborated with Mignola for more than two decades, said in a statement. “The series springs from the pages of the Baltimore comics and novel, but it has a different sensibility and a dynamic new lead protagonist. It’s perfect for new readers, who can start with issue one and not miss a beat, while longtime fans will be thrilled to see how the Baltimore mythos evolves, as some familiar faces encounter brand new characters and fresh terrors.”
“There are witches and Nazis and vampires, all kinds of crazy monster action — What more can you want from a comic?” added Mignola. “Oh, and there’s art by Bridgit Connell, who is great. I had the pleasure of going back and forth with her on some of the creature designs and it was a real pleasure. So happy to have her on board for this.”
Connell, meanwhile, was won over by the title character. “I love the story and the hero that is Lady Baltimore,” she explained. “On the surface, she’s this kick-ass heroine who gets the job done, but underneath it all is the turmoil revolving around learning how to carry the weight and legacy of her new title. And as an artist, it’s a ton of fun for me to help create all these unique covens of evil witches and cool new monsters — like those creeptastic harpies — that’ll be causing serious chaos throughout the series.”
Lady Baltimore will debut in comic book stores and digitally June 10.
